


Assumptions

by Azile_Teacup



Series: Meet Cute [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Brief Mention of Violence, F/M, Gen, Homelessness, Illness, M/M, mention of assumed drug use, mention of past prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-19
Updated: 2012-10-19
Packaged: 2017-11-16 14:59:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/540714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azile_Teacup/pseuds/Azile_Teacup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Lance found out about Arthur, why Lance was so angry. The conversation between Lance and Merlin, as requested in the comments of Meet Cute. Part of that universe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Assumptions

**Author's Note:**

> There is mention of drug use and mention of assumed drug use but it's brief and nothing graphic, just the idea really. The prostitution isn't graphic and only briefly mentioned.

Merlin's watching over Arthur's fitful sleep. Again. He can't seem to stay away from the guy. According to Lance he's only eighteen, and that's only if Arthur's telling the truth about it. Eighteen! Merlin remembers being eighteen. He was living with his Mum, going to college and getting high with Will. He wasn't without his problems, as a poor person he had to work part time to cover his study costs and help with the rent, he had his fair share of teenage heartbreak, but he'd never been beaten up for refusing to give someone oral. Or shoved backwards into steps for being on the street. Or pushed through a pain of glass for... the list went on. Arthur has a habit of muttering in his sleep and now Merlin knows more than he is comfortable with. Some of it was clearly private. 

Merlin looks up as the door is pushed open and a handsome, clear eyed man in a white coat walks in. Not Arthur's doctor, Merlin's met with her several times to work out payment and such. He checks the guy's name tag and reads Dr. Dulac. Not very informative. 

"Yes? Where's Alice?"

"Doctor Freeman is still treating Arthur. I'm Lance, I just thought I'd-"

"What? Help him?"

Merlin feels a wash of anger spread over him at the familiar name and he jumps out of the chair. This is the guy who let Arthur sit on those steps, refused to help him. If he's a doctor he should have helped. Merlin lurches towards him and Lance steps back. Merlin realises his fists are clenched but he just takes another lurching step forward, shoving his mother's lectures about violence out of his mind.

"Um, who are you?"

"I'm Merlin. And you are a bastard."

Lance takes another step backwards, holding up his hands.

"Can we do this elsewhere?"

Merlin hears a shift in the bed behind them and Arthur cough in the way that means he's half conscious so he nods tightly and follows Lance down the hall. Lance leads him to a small common room with comfortable sofas and a TV. 

"Um, I should-"

"Shut up. What is wrong with you? You know the NHS treats people for free. If they can't pay they don't pay. What were you thinking? Is he not worth your compassion? Or do you only do professional passion."

"Look, you don't know-"

"No, I don't know. I don't care either. It's not like you had to take him home and care for him. Just, you could have done something. He's known you what? Two years? That would have made him sixteen. Sixteen years old! Sitting there on that step, barely past childhood, and you left him there!"

Merlin advances again, so angry. He can't remember ever being this angry before.

"He was seventeen. And he wasn't selling then. Or at least, he wasn't selling magazines. I couldn't do much, Merlin! I couldn't risk... not Gwen. Not for anyone. She's everything I have."

"Wow, that's a lovely sentiment. What, you couldn't risk telling him he could get free treatment? Not even when he got pneumonia? It could have killed him! Actually, it would have killed him. He was coughing up blood for fuck's sake, what kind of a friend are you?"

"I told him about the Big Issue people. They tried to get him to go to the hospital every time he showed up. I suggested it every time I saw him. Money... well, it's not really about money. Have you heard of Cendred?"

"No. What does that have to do with Arthur?"

Merlin's loosing steam though. He's mostly just heartbroken now, imagining Arthur dying on that step because his 'friends' were worried about their wives.

"Cendred is the local 'mob' as it were. He supplies most of the city's dealers. Gwaine, he's a cop, saw Arthur hanging around with Val who is Cendred's main heavy. He's a junkie, Merlin, and I won't have him near my child no matter how much I care about him!"

"A junkie. Arthur, a junkie. Jesus, you're an idiot."

"He's always stashing money, he refuses to let me buy him food or hot drink, insists on money. He-"

"Is saving up for a flat, you bastard. He's... my God, you're such... Val is the guy he lives with. He's not a fucking druggie and if you say it one more time, I'll... I don't know what I'll do but it won't go well for you."

Merlin spins on his heel and readies himself to stalk out of the door. He's had enough of this arsehole. But Lance catches his shoulder and tugs him back.

"He's saving up? I thought... Oh God. Oh God, Arthur."

"Yeah."

"Shit, I'm such an idiot. I'm so sorry. Merlin, I just... I assumed... He used to... I shouldn't tell you."

"He sold himself. I know. You mentioned it a moment ago."

"I was... defensive. Sorry. Yes. Someone stopped him, when he got his room. Someone managed to get him to stop."

"Yeah, Myror. Val's boyfriend, Arthur's other flat mate."

"Right. He never... Arthur said, when I first met him, only his mouth. Blowjobs. That's actually how we met, he propositioned me and I misunderstood and said yes."

"How on earth?"

"I don't know. Arthur teases me about it, sometimes. When he's not coughing up his lungs. I'm sorry, Merlin. I thought he... Jesus, I'm such a jerk."

"Yeah. How come you never told him this was free? I mean, I get that you didn't want him at your house, but..."

"I didn't realise. I didn't think, I just didn't think to check. Arthur was always so sure of himself. I didn't like to ask about money, it made Arthur edgy. He'd sometimes refuse to speak to me if I asked about it. Then, I thought maybe, I thought maybe it was because he was afraid of a drugs test or something."

"So you just left him to die."

"Yes."

"Fuck!"

Merlin jerks himself out of Lance's grasp and punches him. It hurts way more than it looks like it will on TV, but his fist connects with a satisfying crack and Lance probably hurts more. Merlin nods in satisfaction, shaking his sore hand.

"Next time, don't assume. Next time try helping. Next time don't be a bastard. The only reason I'm not doing more is because Arthur always had a choice and he refused what help you offered. That's the only reason; respect for his free will. Now, stop gaping at me and go see him before I change my mind."

Merlin's not sure when he got so protective over Arthur but he is. He's in charge of who gets to see Arthur and everyone defers to him, which is good. Merlin follows Lance out of the lounge and they head for Arthur's room. When they get to the corridor Percy is waiting outside the door, waiting for Merlin's permission to enter. Merlin nods them both in and waits outside, giving them time with their friend. Five minutes later though there's a crash and Lance's voice cursing and then Percy's leading him out, both looking a bit shocked, Lance in tears.

"What did you do?"

"He turned a tray over. What's wrong?"

"I'm a bastard. I always thought I was a good guy, but I'm such a..."

Merlin takes pity on the guy because he look wretched. And he did help Arthur a lot. 

"Look, it's not so bad. It's not like you can help every homeless guy. I don't... Arthur somehow became special to me, I'm sorry I hit you and made you feel like crap."

"Though I deserved it. I know you added that bit in your head. Percy, would you drive me home? I need to talk to you."

Merlin assumes they're going to have a conversation about Arthur and leaves them to it, heading back to the bed he's been sitting by for what feel like forever. Arthur's awake, or more awake than he sometimes is, eyes slits.

"Hmm."

"Hi, go to sleep. Everything's all right."

"'s'loud."

"Not any more. No one was cross with you. Everything's fine."

Arthur's eyes slide shut and he sighs out a breath, face staying turned towards Merlin for reassurance, maybe. Merlin reaches out and runs a hand tentatively over Arthur's shoulder and, when Arthur relaxes into it, starts a slow, careful massage of the muscles he can reach until Arthur drifts off. Lance may be a bastard and a rubbish friend, but Arthur has Merlin now. Merlin's going to make things better for him. After all, Arthur picked Merlin up off the ice, found him a bag, fed him sugar, sat with him, reassured him, made him believe Will wasn't dying and waited. Waited for seven hours. And he didn't get angry when Merlin just abandoned him either, just disappointed. Arthur deserves better than that. Deserves better than Lance and Percy, Myror and Val. Deserves better than Leon and Agravain and his dead parents. Merlin is going to show him.


End file.
